BRITISH GT4 TITLE CONTENDERS TREGURTHA & MIDDLETON STAY IN SERIES TOP THREE DESPITE DRIVESHAFT FAILURE AT SILVERSTONE

Disappointment for Will Tregurtha and Stuart Middleton at Silverstone
Pole position qualifiers robbed of possible win and likely podium
Incredible work from HHC to repair damage and get car to the finish

Double British GT4 Championship race winners Will Tregurtha and Stuart Middleton were prevented from converting yet another pole position into a strong finish during round six at Silverstone Grand Prix Circuit on Sunday, 11th June, as a result of a disappointing driveshaft failure early in the race.

Both drivers produced a very strong showing in qualifying for the ‘Silverstone 500’ on Saturday, 10th June, to secure a top-of-the-grid start for the three-hour race but just three laps into the encounter Tregurtha lost all drive from the No.55 Ginetta G55 GT4 as he exited Chapel Curve.

Coasting down Hangar Straight, with great presence of mind Tregurtha pulled off onto the grass at Stowe near a marshal’s post and awaited a recovery truck. When the car arrived back in the pits the HHC Motorsport mechanics wasted no time in getting to work, feverishly swarming around the Ginetta and replacing the driveshaft and rectifying damage to the car’s differential.

Incredibly, the team managed to complete the task in just half an hour and it meant the 17-year-old team-mates were able to rejoin the race, albeit many laps down on their rivals, to at least chalk-up some experience and vital mileage. With time to only complete 52 laps, they weren’t credited with a classified race finish after falling short of the minimum distance required.

So competitive have Milton Keynes racer Tregurtha and Ashington-based driver Middleton been in their maiden season of GT4 racing, with two victories up to now, even with no points to show from the Silverstone weekend they are only 5.5 points shy of the championship lead in third place.

Everything had started so well with the HHC pairing lapping second fastest in both of the opening practice sessions, the best of the Silver class entries in each run, before going on to qualify on GT4 pole position for the big race.

Middleton took the first of the two qualifying sessions and posted a best time of 2m13.196 seconds (98.93mph), the fastest GT4 lap, while Tregurtha delivered a near identical lap during the subsequent run. Combining their respective efforts, the time of 4m26.554 seconds secured an excellent pole start.

While frustrated to have been so unlucky in the race itself, which would have been their longest ever GT endurance encounter, Enlighten and iPro Sport-backed driver Tregurtha and North East Caravans supported youngster Middleton had huge praise for the remarkable efforts of the HHC pit crew.

Will Tregurtha:
“The pace was there again, we’re so disappointed. It was tough anyway this weekend as we had some top speed taken away from us after the last round at Snetterton, so it was quite hard to try and race against the McLarens – they’re 14mph quicker than us on the straights.

“When the car lost drive, I’d just changed down to third gear at the end of the Maggotts, Becketts section and the way it was loaded up the driveshaft snapped. So I coasted down Hangar Straight, found a marshal’s post where the grass ends at Stowe and waited for the recovery truck. I can’t thank HHC enough, though, our car is rapid and the work they did to change the diff was incredible.”

Stuart Middleton:
“We did everything we could considering what happened. Everything was fine on the warm-up lap for Will but he said as he pulled through the gears on the Hangar Straight, he just lost drive. The HHC guys did an amazing job to get the car back out so we could actually get to the finish, I can’t thank them enough for their efforts.

“On mine and Will’s part, we did all we could and I think we’ve shown again what a fantastic team we all are. The pace was definitely there to challenge for a win today, we’re devastated but we just have to fight back in the next few races and show as a team what we’re capable of.”

Tregurtha and Middleton now head into a four week break from action in British GT4 ahead of their maiden visit to renowned Formula One venue Spa-Francorchamps. The Belgian track will host the fifth race meeting of the season between Thursday, 6th July, and Saturday, 8th July.

British GT4 Championship Standings (after Rd6):
3rd Stuart Middleton & Will Tregurtha, 92.5pts

British GT4 Championship – Silver Class Standings (after Rd6)
2nd Stuart Middleton & Will Tregurtha, 105.5pts